Yellow-crowned night-heron

Facts

IUCN LEAST CONCERN (LC)

Facts about this animal

The yellow-crowned night-heron is a big-headed and thick-billed heron which is more slender than the common night-heron (Nycticorax nycticorax). It reaches a length of 61 cm and a body-weight of 625 g. The head of adults is black with a white to buffy forehead, crown and bar behind the eyes. Neck and underparts are grey. The feathers of the mantle are dark grey with silvery edgings. During the breeding season, the cheeks and forehead turn more buffy, and long white occipital plumes develop.

The yellow-crowned night-heron forages singly. It is more active by day, is less social and more focussed on saltwater habitats than the black-crowned night heron.

Yellow-crowned night-heron nest in single pairs or loose small groups in trees overhanging water. They lay 2-5 pale blue-green eggs.

Crayfish are the preferred food of the yellow-crowned night-heron. Fish are rarely taken. Regionally amphibians mussels and insects may be an important component of the species' diet.

Did you know?
that, although globally rated "Least Concern", this species is considered threatened in parts of its range because it is particularly vulnerable to local habitat disturbance or loss? In Pennsylvania, for instance, the largest nesting colony representing more than half the state’s known breeding population, is on a small river island. The integrity of this site and nearby shallow water feeding areas are threatened by a proposed dam. Degradation of water quality, along with loss of the primary food source – crayfish – is an everpresent threat.

Factsheet
Class	AVES
Order	CICONIIFORMES
Suborder	ARDEAE
Family	ARDEIDAE
Name (Scientific)	Nyctanassa violacea
Name (English)	Yellow-crowned night-heron
Name (French)	Bihoreau violacé
Name (German)	Krabbenreiher
Name (Spanish)	Chicuaco enmascarado, Garza nocturna sabacú, Guanabá Real
Local names	Costa Rica: Martinete Cabecipinto Portuguese: Savacu
CITES Status	Not listed
CMS Status	Not listed

Photo Copyright by
Terry Foote

Distribution

Distribution
Range	From south-eastern USA through Central America to northern and north-eastern South America. Also in the Caribbean and on Galapagos.
Habitat	Many types of habtat, but most typically frequents mangroves, large cypress swamps, tidal mudflats, marshes, riverbanks, lakes, lagoons and rocky shores. Habitually found along the coast, but also inland on margins of rivers, freshwater lakes, pools and reservoirs.
Wild population	Not threatened. Common in the USA. Has spread northwards since the 1930's. Common also along the Pacific coast of Panama, and probably also of Colombia. They were exterminated from Bermuda in 1940, but have been successfully reintroduces.
Zoo population	37 reported to ISIS (2007)

In the Zoo

How this animal should be transported

For air transport, Container Note 17 of the IATA Live Animals Regulations should be followed.

Find this animal on ZooLex

Photo Copyright by
Googie man

Why do zoos keep this animal